Lidded Canister

This began with a block of African Shedua that I picked up at Rockler a long time ago. I split it down the middle into two billets roughly 2” x 7-1/2”.

I determined, from the outset, that I would go all Celtic K-not on it, in an elongated configuration. I spent the better part of a week deciding what to use as the shims. I was really excited about the idea of using some transparent material, ranging from CD case plastic to CDs to, push-come-to-shove, casting resin. I needed to get something done, so, I went with decidedly untransparent Ficus.

It took a few days to get all get kids on the bus (shims in the kerfs), and, this evening (last evening – it’s 4 AM now), I began looking for a shape. I had to go really deep to make the lines meet, and, deeper still, to make the gaps go away. I was afraid I was gonna have to do a bunch of filling. In the end, none was needed.

I polished it up to its natural sheen.

The cap end was in the chuck, which is kinda bassackwards for lidded box-making. There it was, so, that’s how I did it. After finishing the body, I cut it off, leaving the cap in the chuck, hollowed, and finished shaping the cap, finished the cap, and mounted the body in the chuck to ream it out. Once the two parts were finished, they fit very nicely together, with that little “pop” noise, when the cap is taken off.The final photo, above, is with the flash turned on, so you can see the inside, which, I think, is gorgeous.I’m happy to have been able to get something done in the Dungeon. And, I hope you like it as much as I do.At its narrowest point, it’s only about an inch in diameter. I drilled it out with a 9/16” spur drill, and then opened up the upper half with a fingernail gouge.The finish is Shine Juice, topped with straight shellac.

Absolutely beautiful, Mark! Very creative. I’ll have to put something with a Celtic knot on my mental to-do list. Probably be as close as I’ll get to actually doing one. Too many other things already ahead of it, and they’re not getting done either!

-- Brent H. --"This retirement stuff is hard work. I need to go get a job so I can get some rest!"